The Barfoot-Saunt family are steeped in South Gloucestershire point-to-pointing.
53-year-old Geoff, a plumber and electrician by trade, had his first ride in 1988, his first winner in 1992 and has now posted 84 victories between the flags, 11 under rules, plus plenty more in Australia! Son Harvey joined his father as a point-to-point rider – on his 16th birthday – at Bonvilston last May, where they both rode in the Mens Open, taking the family honours as he finished second on Macs Legend, 11 lengths in front of his Dad on Numero Uno. Geoff’s wife Tracey owned and trained both runners – she holds a rules licence and is probably best known for multiple winning sprinter Bay Watch. South Midlands Press Officer Jake Exelby talked to the trio recently at their Charfield yard, as Geoff career winds down, Harvey’s takes off, and Tracey keeps the pair in check!
Harvey on Mrs Jones and Geoff on Macs Legend (Caroline Exelby)
An obvious first question to Geoff and Harvey is about that first race. Geoff confirms that the objectives were, “For both of us to get round. We did it the whole way together, pretty much holding hands!” So, was Harvey supposed to win the family battle? “Of course not,” laughs Geoff. Harvey agrees, “There’s an underlying rivalry and quite a bit of competition!” And who’s the better rider? Geoff is unequivocal – “Harvey, by a long way. He’s ridden so many horses compared to me. At his age, I’d only sat on two ponies and a horse, while the yard’s been full of his ponies for the last ten years.” – while his son is more circumspect. Says Harvey, “Dad’s got more experience and has taught me everything. Since I’ve been pony racing, we’ve always walked the course together and he’d tell me how to ride it.”
Harvey (left), Tracey and Geoff Barfoot-Saunt before battle commenced at Bonvilston (Carl Evans)
Barfoot-Saunt Senior v Junior Round 2 came at Larkhill last month and bragging rights again went to Harvey on Borugale, as he finished just in front of Geoff on Bellamys Boy. “I think the race came a bit quick for Dad’s horse,” commiserates Harvey with a smile. However, it was third time lucky for Geoff when they next met – as he finished ahead of his son twice at Didmarton earlier this month!
Harvey preparing to ride at Didmarton recently (Carl Evans)
Geoff avoids the question as he talks me through his long career. “I couldn’t tell you how many winners I’ve ridden,” he confesses. “Between 120 and 130 maybe (you’re not far off Geoff), including those in Australia. I first went there in 1993 and ended up staying for 18 months – it was a brilliant way of life. I’d normally go out after Umberleigh, at the end of their season, but in 2001 I jumped on a plane the day pointing was cancelled because of foot and mouth and did a full season there. Why did I stop going? I got married!”
Geoff winds the clock back to why he started race-riding. “Horses were obvious,” he explains “Mum had a riding school and Dad show jumped. But they weren’t racing people. However, at school my roommates were (former champion) Andrew Dalton and Charlie Hancock. Charlie was by far the best rider but had to stop after a bad fall. Anyway, we were about 14 and they were arguing about which of them would ride the most winners, so I threw my hat in the ring and said I’d ride more than them – I probably did!” (Not quite Geoff, as ‘Dalts’ rode 130 in points alone).
“They didn’t take me seriously,” continues Geoff, “So I gave the Guildings – who were up the road – a ring and went to work for them when I left school. After that, I moved to Grafton country to work for Tim Brown, who was their Master of Hounds. He had a yard full of hunters and pointers and I looked after the pointers and did farm work. I rode tractors, combine harvesters and horses! I had my first ride at Newton Bromswold, and it took me four years to have my first winner – Mount Oliver for Jackie Guilding in the Ledbury Members. I remember riding at (former Welsh track) Llantarnam. It was like trying to put a point-to-point course in our yard. (Mackenzie & Selby described it as, ‘Should not be tolerated, but has usual informal atmosphere and joke stewarding!’) I rode in Wales a lot – all their courses are unique.”
Geoff’s best season was 2002/03, with four winners between the flags and six under rules. “I can’t put my finger on why,” he admits. “I had lots of rides in Hunter Chases and was riding several times a week – it was close to being a professional!” As for the best horses he rode, “Mixsterthetrixster under rules and Nether Gobions and Well Ted for Dick Baimbridge in points.” Geoff tells me how the connection with the legendary handler came about. “I happened to be in the right place at the right time,” he confirms. “I was standing next to Dick when Alison Dare broke her leg. He asked, ‘How are we going to cope?’ and I replied, ‘I can come and ride for you.’” Geoff also won on the classy chaser Escartefigue, laughing as he recalls, “He used to run in Gold Cups and Grand Nationals, so should have been able to win points blindfolded!”
While Harvey – sponsored for the first time this season by audio-visual technology company One Vision – has yet to break his duck after 16 rides in points plus one on the flat, he’s gaining plenty of experience, schooling for Tom and Gina Ellis every Saturday, following stints with Richard Hughes, Richard Newland, and a trip to Ireland last summer to work for Henry de Bromhead. “They do things differently over there,” says Harvey. “Here, the approach to training is more task-focused, getting the horses fit and ready, but they’re more relaxed and chilled in Ireland.” Harvey has already ridden for several other trainers but hopes that his first winner will be for his parents. “Ideally on Mrs Jones – she’s my favourite,” he admits, “But more likely on The Golden Rebel.”
Before riding in points, Harvey – like so many of his contemporaries (think Ed Vaughan) was a successful pony racer. “I rode in the Dingle Derby (Ireland’s leading pony contest) just before Covid,” he recalls. “And was meant to be going back, having been offered rides for a big stable, when lockdown hit. My first winner had been at Cheltenham, on The Buggy Girl – I’d only had a handful of rides before that day, and we went on to be third in the national pony club championships, which I won the year after with Shoot The Stars, a good horse but quirky… definitely not push button!”
Harvey’s ambitions in the saddle are “To carry on pointing for a couple of seasons, hopefully ride a few winners and maybe win some kind of (novice) riders title. I’d like to ride over hurdles and fences and look to get my Cat B licence (to ride against professionals) – I’ve already got my Cat A – when I’ve had enough rides. After that, we’ll see where it goes.” As for Geoff’s future, he admits that, “The plan is than I hand over to Harvey and I’ll probably retire when he gets his Category B licence (so he can ride Tracey’s horses against professionals) … even though I’m not ready to stop yet.”
While Tracey didn’t race-ride herself, she show jumped and evented and admits, “I got into racing by fluke! I had a thoroughbred eventer, Father Jack, that I couldn’t hold one side of. Geoff rode it, they were second first time out and I was hooked. Her training career has spanned over 20 years and, as well as Bay Watch – “An unassuming little horse, kind and sweet,” she cites Mixsterthetrixster as a favourite, explaining his name with, “He was more than cheeky. On our second day, it took me over two hours to get on him! I never came off, and was never hurt, but he was a challenge. Yet Harvey could sit on him as a baby!”
Tracey has three pointers to race this season – Macs Legend, Mrs Jones and the ex-Julie Wadland and Ben Case The Golden Rebel. “We bought him in May,” she tells me. “He’s had some time off – he’s accident-prone – but is back in work now and will run in Novice Riders races for Harvey, then may go summer jumping with him. Mrs Jones has had a quiet time since Dunsmore but may go to Cothelstone, where the 2m4f trip will suit. Macs Legend has won on soft and heavy but likes better ground. He's 16 now, and still a few weeks off a run.” She also has an unraced 6yo great-grandson of 1972 Cheltenham Gold Cup heroine Glencaraig Lady, but confirms, “He’ll take time and may not run this season.”
The family’s facilities include 14 stables, a sand gallop, a deep sand lunging ring and turnout paddocks, as well as schooling fences. “We also work them on set-aside,” confirms Tracey, “And can go up to Stinchcombe and the North Nibley monument nearly all the way off-road. We do most of the work here, but sometimes go to Tom George’s or to Lambourn to gallop.”
The fourth member of the team is Georgina Marwood, from nearby Dursley, who balances her studies at Cheltenham College with working at Cosy Farm one day a week. “I’d like to ride in races – it would give me an adrenalin buzz – but am not sure I’m cut out for it,” she laughs. “But I’ve got a thoroughbred – Mason Jar, who raced for Richard Newland – at home and am doing Retraining of Racehorses with him.”
Their respective careers covered, talk turns to the family’s views on the sport. Geoff in particular is known for his stridently expressed views on the ‘Pointing Forum’ noticeboard, although he’s been quiet recently. “Life’s not long enough to have the time to post,” he smiles when I ask why he stopped contributing. “I sort of became addicted, a bit like I am to smoking – but that doesn’t take up as much time! Besides (he shows me a phone that looks like something Noah would have used) … I don’t have a smartphone!”
“The day hunter certificates were centralised was the beginning of the end for pointing,” opines Geoff. “It interfered with local hunt politics, p*ssed off a lot of people who did things for their hunt and point-to-point and separated the two sports. For example, local farmers would always get a free certificate for their horse – now they have their land trashed… and have to pay! Now you don’t have to take your pointers hunting – although we do on occasions – hunting people don’t know the riders and trainers and have fewer friends with pointers, so have less reason to go. The gap’s getting wider and wider, and meetings are struggling for volunteers – from gate staff, to fence attendants, to litter pickers.”
Harvey nods agreement with his father, before turning his attention to schooling trials. “They’re a really good idea, he affirms, as they bring horses into the sport. However, it was £75 per horse at Garthorpe, which is 50% more than to enter a race. Reducing the cost would bring in even more horses.”
Tracey’s first thought is based on her experience as a steward. “I’d instigate a shadowing scheme for experienced stewards to bring on the next generation,” she suggests. “If you’re not an ex-jockey or trainer, or have been out of the game, stewarding can be intimidating. And how do you bring in young people? You need to have confidence, and shadowing someone who’s been doing it for 30 years would give you that. Plus, two pairs of eyes are better than one!”
As so often before I leave, I ask the age-old question of what the family love about their sport. Geoff answers on behalf of Tracey and Harvey “It’s the buzz and the social life. Tracey and I are married because of pointing, Harvey’s grown up with it. It’s a way of life…”